Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 663 — page 4: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Violet Vane’s Victory. As soon as he could make himself heard above the uproar, Violet Vane cried: ‘¢ Where is Ned Morris?” ‘‘ Here,” was the instant reply as Laughing Lu’s lover pushed forward, ‘I have been to Jasper for some of my more valuable personal roperty and have just returned. What is this haat about the girls being kidnapped?” Grasping Morris by the arm, the little man in velvet drew him into the room where Owen Wilson still remained, bidding Wagg remain outside to still restrain the curious crowd, a thing which the faithful old fellow readily con- sented todo. Ina few moments Vane succeeded in making everything clear to Ned, and but for a restraining band and calm words, the startled wa would have become as excited as Mr. ilson had been. ‘‘Keep cool, Ned!” commanded Vane, his hands on the other’s shoulders, ‘‘It is a cool head and steady band that is wanted now. We shall find enemies on every hand to pit our skill against, and if we are rattled it will be the ‘worse for us,” ) Ma ‘‘You are right,” acknowledged the youn man, instantly becoming calm. ‘* We shail need cool heads in Jasper City, for the town is in the hands of a gang of toughs who are runy ning things as they please and have inaugurated a perfect reign of terror.” ‘ How long has this been?” ‘‘ Since the gang returned from this place last night. There is a prospect of a battle between the honest men and the toughs of the camp, If I am not mistaken, there will soon be warm times in Jasper City.” ‘‘One thing is certain; we shall have the honest men on our side.” ** Sure,” ‘* But, there is one point which [ wish to set- tle before I leave this hotel, and that is; was the room adjoining this occupied last night?” ‘Tt was,” asserted Mr. Wilson, *‘I am sure of it, for I tried to obtain it in order that I might be as near nfy daughter as possible,” _ ** And now,” said Vane, ‘‘ the question is; is it re aa Ned, | propose that we investi- gate. ‘But, what is the object?” , “This: if that room was occupied last night, whoever wasin it must have heard something of the noise which the kidnappers made, how- ever careful they were. It is possible—or prob- able—that whoever occupied the adjoining room had a hand in this dastardly work, and by be- ginning right there, we may get on track of the scoundrels.” | Two minutes later Ned and the Velvet Sport were in the room which was separated from the one which the girls had occupied by merely a thin board partition. It was tenantless, ‘The indications are taat its occupants have sloped,” said Vane, grimly. ‘‘I will bet five to one that they bad a finger in the pie.” ‘But why is it necessary to go to all this - trouble when we know quite well where to find the girls?” ‘* Do we know where to find them?” The question startled Ned Morris as a sudden clap of thunder might havedone, He caught his breath and grasped the arm of the little sport as he asked: ‘‘ What do you mean?” ‘‘ Simply that Ione and Luona may not have been carried to Jasper City.” ‘‘ What makes you think so?” Vane produced two slips of paper. ‘ This,” said he, ‘‘ I found on the door of the A oe room; this I found on the door of the room om which Dandy Dirk escaped, ‘any similarity in the handwriting?” ** Yes, the same hand wrote both of those!” Can you see te ng ot That means that the same person had a in both jobs, and Iam willing to give big odds that Tom Alicar is the one into whose hands the girls have fallen.” ‘Gods! I believe you are right. But why did you not say so before?” — imply because I did not want Mr. Wilson to suspect what I fear, He is nearly crazed now; that would quite upset him.” | ; PM eve non nek 3g oer ean which you ound upon the door 0 e girls’ room was put there to mislead us?” asd “*T think that it may have been put there for that tad ge At the same time it is not im sible that, though he has the girls in his power, Dandy Dirk has fled to bem He may have decided to gather the ans of that camp around him and make a desperate fant... At that moment Erastus W agg thrust his head we hea MTree Tied Walk dda Baik : m Jasper City wants tosee ye, Sw fViolets. He’s in an all-smokin’ hurry, 400.” . 7 STE Re he PT RR he RE tk ES A see te le ee EE SE ee Ce A mn ES § Oe Se SS | ro ‘Show him into this room,” said Vane, promptly. Wageg’s woolly head disappeared, and a few seconds later, tne doorswung open to admit a man who would command attention anywhere, for he was at least six feet tall and must have weighed two hundred pounds, But at a glance any one could see that there was not an ounce of superfluous flesh upon him; everything was bone and muscle, An exclamation broke from Ned Morris’s lips as his eyes fell upon the magnificent form of the man from Jasper. ** Solid Sid.” “That’s your humble servant,” bowed the bi man, ‘‘ Solid Sid, Marshal of Jasper City. Dot have the honor of meeting the little sport who cleaned out the best men of both Jacktown and Jasper?” with his eyes fastened curiously on the Velvet Sport. “Yes, sir,” replied Ned, promptly, “‘ this is Philip Vane Howard, known in this camp as Violet Vane. Philip, this is Sidney Sharon, Marshal of Jasper City.” Solid Sid extended his hand, ‘‘T am proud to meet you, sir,” he declared. ‘‘T have heard of you asa mighty bad man to crowd, and that is just the kind of timber I am looking for.” ‘The pleasure is mutual,” said Vane, quietly, as he grasped the marshal’s pote hand, “Yes, you are just the man I[ am looking for,” repeated Solid Sid. ‘* The devil has broke loose in Jasper City, and I need a good deputy to help me quell the ruction. .*#soon as I heard whbat you have {done, I struck straight for this ery 2 ‘‘T am afraid that you have wasted your time, sir, for just at present I have more than both hands full.” The marshal’s face fell. ‘“* How is that?” he asked, Briefly Vane explained. ‘* Ah! broke from Solid Sid’s lips. ‘‘ And so you fancy that Dandy Dirk had a hand in the dirty work? Well, if Dirk is the coon yougare after, you will find him in Jasper City, for 1 am ready to take my Bible oath that Tsaw him there less than two hours ago, And now will you go back to Jasper with me?” ‘¢ You may wager your wealth that I will,” was the Velvet Sport’s reply. CHAPTER IV. A PAIR OF ANGRY RASCALS. Ir was an angry and sullen gang of_half- drunken ruffians who were returning to Jasper City after meeting with defeat in their lawless raid on Jacktown. They had expected to take the camp in Paradise Gulch by surprise, and bave no trouble at all in “cleaning” out the place. Just what their real intentions bad been they were not willing te confess, but certain itis that Jacktown would have suffered severely bad the raid proved a success. It is possible that the drunken scoundrels might have fired the town. Jacktown owed much to Ned Morris, who bad warned the town of its danger. But for him, the place might have been taken by surprise and fallen into the hands of the toughs from Jasper almost without a struggle. But Morris knew that Jasper City would be too hot to held bim after what he had done, for the worst class would consider him a traitor to the place, That was why he burried back to the boomers’ town on the night of the jubilee in Jacktown and se- cured such personal property as he could com- fortably bring away. Cf the Jasper City roughs, High Card Harry and Hickory Jimmy took the defeat most to heart, although they said less about it than did their companions. Neither of them bad been drunk at the time of the raid, but had joined the gang for the excitement of the thing, They had anticipated little resistance from the citizens of the camp'in Paradise Gulch, and their defeat at the hands of one man, the dandy rt, Violet Vane, galled them tothe quick. ithin their hearts they swore to have vengeance. Both High Card Harry and the champion wrestler had opposed the retreat from Jacktown. It made little difference to them that the Jasper City card-sharp had pledged his word to Violet Vane that if they weredefeated they would with- draw and leave the place unmolested in the future, Neither High Card or his athletic pard were men of honor. Their word was as good as their bond, ard neither was wortha ch of snuff. At the time of the fire in Jacktown which destroyed a single cabin, they had tried very hard to persuade their followers to make another desperate raid on the camp. But the baw. bye received a lesson which bad takenaway uch of the false courage which Jasper City ; : ; » AD) wat é “a a , “ - » fe Oe ‘ y . ee eee ae Bae = yO ad Z4 as f c { Ae ad , mA « a ' 7 , ; _ “Eee ars, ‘wat st "s a —— —_ : ’ . *% * y “ ‘ It cay ee © tbe Gu ys : i - . - “eh A), ee ——————— ‘“‘tanglefoot ” had instilled into their veins. They wanted to go home and go home they did. The baffled sport and wrestler accompanied them —part of the way, . ‘Curse that velvet dandy!” gritted Hickory Jimmy, bitterly. ‘‘ Double curse him!” came ina low, fierce tone from the card-sharp’s lips. ‘‘T have something laid by for him,” declared the defeated athlete. ‘So have I—a lead pill!” ‘In my case it is a bit of cold steel!” - ‘Oh, we both love him!” ‘Yes, dearly!” Then the two scoundrels looked into each other’s eyes and read the deadly deterniination written there, “Bet you fifty I down him first,” proposed Harry. “5 ran go ye,” was the instant reply. ‘‘ He has my money.” ‘ An’ be pritty nigh broke my neck.” ‘‘ How in the world did he ever work that last foul and flipon you? Itbought you had him you into was just ready to cheer when he kicked the air and sent you over on your back, “Don’t ask me how he dun it! I reckon it’s a reg’ler trick in a rough-an’-tumble, but I never had it worked on me before.” **T did not believe Pree was in the little in- significant-a ring fop. i No sore aid I. I ecalkerlated on havin’ er reg’ler walk-over, but he dun me up jest as easy ez he got erway with you at draw-poker. He’s er sardine!” ‘The trouble with us is that we were looking for an easy victory. If we had been prepared, it might have been different.” ‘“* Well, we'll be ready for him next time.” ‘* And the next time will come mighty soon if I have anything to say about it.” ‘The sooner ther better it’ll suit me, Id like ter turn back now.” The wrestler’s words set High Card Harry to thinking, and for a long time he rode along in silence. Finally he made a motion which Hick- ory Jim understood, and gradually the two fell back till the entire gang were in advance “That is a pretty sight,” observed Harry, sarcastically, as he pointed to the straggling crowd ahead, The wrestler uttered an oath. ‘ “T reckon we owe ther most of it ter him,” he more than bafe our bosses. Nearly balf of the crowd were mounted double and a few were walking. The unlucky ones had left their horses dead in the streets of Jack- town, shot down by the defenders of the camp. ae Ji Ri “Waal?” “Tm going back to Jacktown.” Now?” ' ‘* Directly.” ‘ Are you goin’ alone?” ‘No; you are going with me.” “Ts thet all?” High Card was silent for several moments, apparently thinking deeply. Finally, he asked; ‘Do we want any more?” ‘Good men are allus handy.” ‘You are right, but this time we will not enter the camp publicly, Whatever work we do must be aone swiftly and silently. We want no one with us who will be an incum- brance.” . ‘ What do you propose ter do?” Y “Kill the velvet dandy if possible! No man can call Harry Harkman a cheat and live long to boast of doing so.” ‘* An’ no man can flop hear from him erg’in,.” “That is the right kind of talk, But even if we do not get a chance at this Violet Vane, I have work to do there.” ‘‘ What kind of work?” “Taughing Lu, the Queen of Jasper, is in that camp. i have sworn that she shall be mine by fair means or foul. I cannot obtain her by fair means, therefore I shall try foul. in love and war. Hickory Jimm ‘© An’ you wan ther gal?” rT} Y ” “ Any inducements? It’s risky, you know.” 7 will pay you well.” | “Thet’s ernuff. You with me. I’m with ye.” “T knew I could depend on you.” “ How many men will you take a!” smiled, me ter help you git a holt of town. * ie 4 . * Phy at ; aa vi \ * , - AL 4 ) » se .¢ « iret - a K) e* ) on *) sine Pl = = | hes CcComicboo , h-, : me Eee —— ’ is } d » c wt > a growled. ‘‘ He an’ thet ragged tramp shot down | Jim Carnes an’ not | It is quite apparent that Bebe oN hev allus kep’ yer word — ie may git inter a mighty snug corner in Jack- a —— Ieee ae - A sh, PES eee TE? eer oe - a ry * But you know everything is fair ks.com